Reader: They have rights, but there should be consequences

Letters

A white supremacist beats an antifascist with a stick in Charlottesville.

I am heart-broken by the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, and that this is becoming the new normal. It is our responsibility to stand up to the hatred and bigotry that continues to be displayed, but I think it needs to be done in a more far-reaching way. There are pictures of the "alt-right" marchers all over social media — that is how we need to resist.

We need to attend these events armed with cameras and record the events, then post them on social media attaching names where we can. These people have the right to believe and vocalize anything they want, but there should be consequences.

When an employer googles their name or looks them up on social media these pictures need to come up, so the world knows. These faces should be as well-known as any celebrity's so that when they walk down the street everyone knows who they are and what they believe. They are not the faces of what America believes.

We can effectively and peacefully stand against this hatred, stand up for all Americans regardless of race, sexual preference or religion, and we can make sure the world knows what this country stands for using the tools we have available to us: our phones, cameras and Wi-Fi connections.